CITIZENS CHARTER

(please pardon me for grammatical and spelling mistakesif any)

A Citizens Charter is a public statement that defers the entitlements of citizens to a specific
service, the standards of the service, the conditions to be met by users, and the remedies available
to the latter in case of non-compliance of standards.

QUALITY

TRANSPARENCY

CHOICE

CITIZEN CHARTER

STANDARDS

ACCOUNTABILITY

VALUE

The spirit behind the Citizen Charter..

A customer is the most important visitor in our premises. He is not
dependent on us; we are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our
work; he is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider to our business; he is part
of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him; he is doing a favour by
giving us an opportunity to do so.
--- Mahatma Gandhi

1.EVOLUTION OF CITIZEN CHARTER :

In United Kingdom Prime minister John Major launched the strategy of
Citizen Charter in 1991.
First report on citizens' charter (1992) - The Citizens' Charter
Citizens Charter will raise quality, increase choice, secure better value and
extend accountability .
For too long provider has dominated, and now it is turn of user.
REVISED PRINCIPLES OF CITIZENS CHARTER, 1998 :
Set standards of service
To provide Open and full information

First Consult and involve in action

Encourage access to service and promote choice for the users
Treat all fairly(without discrimination)
Put things right when they go wrong(self-valuation and correction)
Use resource effectively
Innovate and improve the standard of service delivered to the citizens
Work with other providers of service.

CHARTER MARK :
Charter Mark introduced in 1991 (United Kingdom) to improve efficacy of Citizens
Charter
Tool designed to help organisation, focus on and improve their customer service and
delivery to users.
Evaluation - carried out by an independent agencies.

2.INDIAN EXPERIENCE : CITIZENS' CHARTER

Concept of good governance not new to India,

Kautilya in the happiness of his subjects lies the happiness, in their

welfare, his welfare, whatever pleases himself, he doesnt consider as good,
but whatever pleases his subjects he considers as good.

NEED FOR CITIZEN CHARTER IN INDIA :

1. Absolute size of bureaucracy grown (Bloated) do not contribute much to Gross

Domestic Product (GDP)
2. Productivity of the bureaucracy is low bureaucrats have life time contracts of service
(defended by Article 311 of Constitution)
3. Need for efficient/effective/citizen centric bureaucrats lead to adoption of Citizen
Charter in India.
1996 - Recommendation for Citizen Charter in National Debate for responsive
administration.
1997 - Chief Minister Conference - 3 action plans

1) Administration - accountable, friendly

2) Ensure transparency, right to information
3) Cleanse and motivate civil service
1997 - Core group to draft charter under Secretary (Ministry/Department)
CCC - Consumer Coordination Council ~ to make field surveys in health, electricity,
banking, commerce, municipal service.
1997 - Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievance (DAR & PG) drafted model charter.
May, 1997 Citizen Charter launched in India (2010 - 729 Citizen Charter in various
Departments)
DAR & PG - Guidelines to enable meaningful Citizen Charter
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Citizen Charter must be simple

Citizen Charter - >formed only with senior experts workers interact with users.
Create responsive climate
Begin with statement of service offered
Procedure/cost/charters/choice - made available
Though not justifiable - will be committed to fulfill the promise made through Citizen
Charter
Frame structure - obtain feedback, performance audit, fix schedule to review Charter - 6
months
Separate charter for distinct services
1998 -- DAR & PG + CCC ~ made evaluation of Citizen Charter
2003~ Professional Agency - Standardized model for internal/external evaluations

1.
2.
3.
4.

Findings of Professional Agency :

In Majority cases - charter not formed through a consultative process.
Service Providers - >not familiar with goals, philosophy and features of Citizen Charter
Adequate Publicity of Citizen Charter is not given(lack of awareness)
No funds earmarked for awareness generation of Citizen Charter
2007 ~ Independent Review of Citizen Charter in India - Public Afffairs
(Bangalore)

Results/Reports : India's Citizen Charter - A decade of experience

1. Lack of public awareness
2. Inadequate groundwork
3. Charters are rarely updated

Center

4. End users/NGOs not consulted while drafting citizen charter

5. Needs of senior citizen/disabled - not considered
6. Resistance to charge
Making Citizen Charter Effective - An agenda for reform
In 2nd ARC - > 4th Report "Ethics in Governance" - > discussed about Citizen Charter
Emphasis on
1.
2.
3.
4.
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6.
7.
8.
9.

Internal restructuring should precede charter formulation

One size doesn't fit all - charters varies significantly in different department
Wide consultation process - while formulating
Firm Commitments to be made
Redressal Mechanism in case of default
Periodic evaluation of Citizen Charter
Bench Mark using end user feedback
Accountable - hold officers responsible for result
Include civil society in the process

IS : 15700 : 2005 -

Standard for public service delivery

1. India first develop Indian Standard - Public Service Delivery

2. Indian Standard stipulates Quality Management

CITIZENS`
CHARTER

ACCOUNTABILITY
TRANSPERANCY

GOOD
GOVERNANCE

Citizens Charter Bill 2011

1. Salient Features

Full name : The Right of Citizens For Time Bound Delivery of Goods & Services &
Redressal of Their Grievances Bill 2011.

The Bill deals with government departments that deal directly with citizens:they include
1.
2.
3.
4.

Constitutional bodies,
Statutory authorities,
Public-private partnerships,
NGOs substantially funded by the government and companies that provide
services under a statutory obligation.

Provisions
1. The Bill makes it mandatory for every public authority to publish a Citizens
Charter within six months of the commencement of the Act.
2. Every citizen is given right to get time bound delivery of goods and services.
3. If not delivered, there is redressal mechanism.

Format:
1. List the details of the goods and services provided by a public authority;
2. The name of the person or agency responsible for providing the goods or services;
3. The time frame within which such goods or services have to be provided;
4. The category of people entitled to the goods and services; and
5. Details of the complaint redressal mechanism.

Bill aims to establish ~ Public Grievance Redressal Commissions @Centre and State

level.
1. Strength: 1 Chief Commissioner + a maximum number of 10 Commissioners.
2. Qualification:
a) Present or former Supreme Court judges or Chief Justices of a High Court
(district court judges for 10 years, or High Court judges); or
b) Present or former Secretaries to the central (state) government;
c) Eminent persons with at least 20 years of experience in social sectors with a post
graduate degree in a relevant sector.(15 years for state panel)
3. Appointed by:
a. Governor (in state Commission)
b. President (in Central Commission)
c. But President /Governor will make appointments as per the recommendations of
select Committee.
d. The select Committee will consist of
Union level: PM, Leader of opposition in Lok Sabha, Sitting just of SC
State level: CM,Leader of opposition in Legislative assembly (Vidhan Sabha), sitting judge
Of HC

4.The Commissioners may be removed by an order of the President /Governor under certain
conditions.

GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL MECHANISM:

1. Grievance Redress Officers (GRO). You send your complaint to him. He must address the
issue within 30 days.
2. Designated Authority (DA), if GRO doesnt help.
3. State or Central Public Grievances Redressal Commission. If DA doesnt help.
In relation to an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, a third appeal against the
decision of the Commissions shall lie with the Lokpal or the Lokayukta.
PENALTY
1. DA and Commission can impose fine of Max.Rs.50000 to concerned officials/GRO.
2. The penalty shall be recovered from the salary of the official. Such penalty may be
awarded as compensation to the appellant.

Criticism
Against federal Spirit
1. (BJP says) Yet Citizens charter bill provides for GRO and Grievances
Commission @state and central level. But Parliament doesnt not have

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jurisdiction to enact such law. Because 7th schedule of constitution->State list

->State Public services (Entry 41).
It means, only State legislature has jurisdiction to make laws regarding state
public services.
More than ten states have already enacted a Citizen Charter Act or Public
Services Guarantee Act in their respective states.
The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh,
Rajasthan, Punjab, Uttrakhand and Himachal Pradesh have their own laws in
place.
Many of ^these state laws have provisions that are much better than the proposed
Bill.
The Central government can and should enact Citizen Charter for central services
but should not encroach upon the states domain. At best, the Centre can suggest
a model law.
However, the Ministry of personnel affairs, defends this bill saying Provisions
of the Bill relate to actionable wrongs which comes under the concurrent list.

Duplication of work
1. Several states such as Delhi, Punjab and Bihar have also enacted their own
grievance redressal laws. The mechanism provided under these laws is different
from that provided under the Bill.
2. So this will lead to duplication of work and organizations.
3. Similarly, MNREGA Act, RTE Act, National Food Security Bill, 2011, and the
Public Procurement Bill, 2012 also have their own grievances redressal forums. =
duplication.
4. Similar to R.T.I act, this bill also applies to organizations funded by Government.
(e.g. Air India, Public Sector Banks, LIC.) However, if those organizations donot
provide services on time, the matter also falls under jurisdiction of consumer
courts, Banking ombudsman, IRDA respectively= lot of duplication.
5. So it seems Government hasnt done the homework, they just want to pass a bill
to divert peoples attention from more important issue, that is Lokpal.

Autonomy
According to the bill, the commissioners may be removed without judicial inquiry. This is
unheard of!

Lokpal yet to come into force

Government officials intentionally delay the service delivery because they want to
demand bribe. So the whole Citizen charter thing is incomplete, without Lokpal and
Lokayukta.

 Exclusion of Non Citizens:

Only Citizens can seek redressal, NRI & PIO are not entitled.

Distribution of responsibility
For example, if a passport is held up because the police verification took too long, should
the passport office be responsible? Or should the police be held responsible? Bill is silent
over the issue, this will only lead to blame games and further delays while seeking
redressal.

Although not justiciable but these charters aim at affirming the commitment of an
organization to people that it will deliver its particular services promptly, maintain
quality, redressal mechanism available.

REFERENCE:
http://goicharters.nic.in
http://mrunal.org/2013/03/polity-citizens-charter-bill-2011-salient-features-issuescriticism-explained.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen's_Charter
http://www.transparencyindia.org/citizens_charters.php
http://drdj.nic.in/charter.htm
Public Administration by Fadia and Fadia
IGNOU MPA materials
Public Administration by Laksmikant

---- JAYA VASANTHA KUMARAN.S